HealthWise at 5 for 5.12

New Drug to Ease Dental Visits

A pharmaceutical company based in San Diego may change the way we feel when we leave the dentist's office. A new drug called Ora-Verse, made by Novalar, works by reversing the effects of numbing medications, and so after you are numbed up to for a root canal or cavity filled. Ora-Verse cuts in half the numbness to wear off and you can talk and eat without biting yourself. The company says it won drug approval by the FDA on Friday, and will likely start marketing Ora-Verse to dentists later this year. The drug is not approved for kids younger than age 6 years or weighing less than 33 pounds.

Many New Parents Unprepared & Frustrated

Either there are not enough parenting classes out there or not enough new parents signing up. After studying 10,000 infants, the University of Rochester finds almost a third of new parents take their newborn home with no idea about what to expect physically, socially, or emotionally as the child grows. For example, some parents did not know when to expect their kids to begin to walk, talk, or potty train. Researchers say the findings are troubling, because these parents are more likely to expect too much of their baby and get frustrated.

The Best Place for Your Baby's Car Seat

Where is the best spot for little kids in the back seat? According to new research, it is buckled up in the middle. Research finds that kids age 3 and younger are 43% less likely to be injured if they're in the rear center seat, than on either side. Ironically, the study also found that is not the way it usually happens. Youngsters are instead usually placed on the passenger side of the back seat, because it is easier for drivers to keep an eye on them.